


Of blind dates and red shirts

by Der_Spatz



Series: I see red [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Amputee Bucky Barnes, Awkwardness, Blind Date, Bucky Barnes needs some sleep, Bucky has love to offer, Coffee Shops, Confused Bucky Barnes, Couch Cuddles, Dorks in Love, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Napping, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Social Anxiety, Steve is a dork, Steve is a puddle of goo for Bucky, Steve is addicted to cuddles, Steve needs some love, Steve why are you like this, War Veteran Bucky Barnes, but what else is new amirite?, cuddles and snuggles, or begining to fall in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 05:10:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17636546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Der_Spatz/pseuds/Der_Spatz
Summary: Steve was nervous.Yeah, maybe he had been the one suggesting this particular date, but still. That didn’t mean his social awkwardness had magically evaporated. The only thing he knew about the guy was that his name was James, he was a friend of Sam’s and he was supposedly wearing a red shirt. He shouldn’t be difficult to spot, but Steve’s anxiety had somehow convinced him that he was gonna look like a fool in the middle of the coffee shop, looking everywhere without seeing anything red, and the guy, along with everyone there, would be watching him and thinking what a fucking moron he was.Great, now he wanted to throw up even more.





	Of blind dates and red shirts

Steve was nervous.

Yeah, maybe he had been the one suggesting this particular date, but still. That didn’t mean his social awkwardness had magically evaporated. The only thing he knew about the guy was that his name was James, he was a friend of Sam’s and he was supposedly wearing a red shirt. He shouldn’t be difficult to spot, but Steve’s anxiety had somehow convinced him that he was gonna look like a fool in the middle of the coffee shop, looking everywhere without seeing anything red, and the guy, along with everyone there, would be watching him and thinking what a fucking moron he was.

Great, now he wanted to throw up even more.

He took a couple deep breaths and tried to remind himself why he wanted to do this, least he turned tail and ran home.

It wasn’t only that he wanted to get laid. Which he did, thank you very much. It was the intimacy he craved, the cuddles, snuggles, warm skin and pets in his hair. Sam tried to help, but it just wasn’t the same as the closeness of a lover. They hugged and cuddled, and sometimes Sam pet his hair while watching a movie, but he drew the line at naked snuggles and making out, and Steve couldn’t blame him.  

But he _needed_ it.

It was all Thor’s fault, really. Steve was fine before him. Sure, he enjoyed physical closeness with friends and family just fine, but he didn’t crave it like he did now.

Fucking Thor. With his glorious, huge body and his naked-at-home rule and his incessant cuddles and nuzzles and little kisses. Fucking Thor, moving to Australia with his enormous backpack and his radiant smile.

Shit. Steve missed him like a limb.

Still, he couldn’t be hung up on Thor his whole life, and he had had enough of sleeping clutching a giant stuffed dolphin Thor got him as a goodbye present and crying a little every night because it was cute and all, but it wasn’t Thor.

When he decided he was ready to move on, he tried dating apps, but Tinder and Grindr had been both a colossal failure. It took him a while to understand why, but when he did, it was kind of obvious. The profile picture. All the people he met up with were way more interested in his muscles, his blondness and his “baby blues” than in Steve himself. And it was awful, because what Steve wanted wasn’t a quick fuck, but hushed conversations in the dark, fingers drawing flower patterns in the small of his back, warm laughter and a warm embrace.

Yeah… Thor had really ruined him.

So he asked Sam if he happened to know someone looking for a date, someone who liked to cuddle and watch animal documentaries. And Sam had arranged a date with his friend James, who apparently was all that and more, single and looking and “a really good dude, you won’t find anyone better, trust me”. And it must be, because James had told Sam that he was up to cuddle with him and watch Discovery Channnel after dinner, even if they didn’t click sexually or romantically or whatever.

And, a week later, here he was, hand in the doorknob of the coffee shop, heart beating wildly and sweating in places where it should be illegal to sweat.

“Do it for the cuddles, do it for the cuddles”, he muttered, eyes closed, and before he could change his mind and run for the hills, he opened the door and stepped inside.

He found the red shirt immediately and he sighed in relief, both because he had spotted it so quickly and because his owner wasn’t facing the door, so he could approach without being watched and didn’t have to worry about what kind of weird or stiff expression he was making.

So far so good.

He cleared his throat a little and walked the few steps to James’ table, a two-seat one by one of the windows. It wasn’t ‘till he stopped in front of him that he realized James was…

Wow. He was very attractive.

Okay, so maybe his hair was a little shaggy and his scruff a little uneven, and he was missing an arm, and he had a long scar across his jaw that disappeared down his neck and he looked like he hadn’t slept in years, but still. He was beautiful.

He was beautiful and looking at him with clear confusion and Steve wasn’t saying anything.  

“Oh, uuuh” _Great start, awesome_ “Uuh, hey. I’m Steve”

James blinked twice, clearly still confused (way to go, Mr. Suave) “Hey”

Oh God, even his voice was perfect. Warm and just a little rough and… uugh. Oh, fuck, he had to talk again or this was going to become a disaster real quick.

“Can I sit?” he asked, hoping his smile was as calm and confident as he didn’t feel.

James blinked again, looked briefly at himself and finally shrugged “…sure”.

“Great” _Great? What the fuck, Steve?_ He sat in front of James and cleared his throat again. His brain was kinda malfunctioning, so the silence stretched a bit longer than comfortable. Again. James was looking at him like he had grown a second head. Oh God, was his hair on place? Did he have something on his face?! He probably had something on his face. _Shit shit shit…_

“I’m James”, said James with his sinful, beautiful voice, and Steve opened his big trap to say something, anything, and promptly squeaked.

_Awesome, you stupid lug. Way to go. Now why don’t you dig a hole in the floor and stick your big head in it for the rest of your life? Quick, cover it up! Smile more!! Say something!!_

“So…” He cleared his throat. Again. “Did you order something already?”

“No, I was… no”

“Great!” _Again the fucking great, what a repertory_ “Do you want me to order for both of us?”

“Uh… sure”

“Okay, be right back” He smiled as big and reassuring as he could and got up, walking towards the front counter. And then he realized he hadn’t asked what James wanted.

“Fucking Hell, Steven” He muttered, face palming, and he made his way back, blushing furiously.

James was waiting with a bewildered look, but also what it looked like the hint of an amused smile, and Steve let himself relax a little. Well, at least someone was having fun.

“Mocha latte, double whipped cream” he said, voice low, and Steve blushed even harder and muttered a “Thank you” before heading to the counter again.

When he finally set the two drinks down (normal latte for him, he didn’t even know what to order but black seemed like a crime), James was smiling a little more and wasn’t that just gorgeous? Steve just had to concentrate and not stick his foot in his mouth and maybe he could get some cuddles out of this, at least. It sounded good before meeting James, but now it sounded _perfect._

“Sorry, I… I’m kind of a mess” He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head “I’m just a bit nervous” _A bit, ha._

“No, it’s… fine. To be fair, I’m… a bit lost myself” James mirrored his smile “I suppose I’m not good at… this”

“Oh God, me neither” Steve laughed a little and suddenly the atmosphere was lighter, easier “I always worry too much, I keep thinking I’m gonna say the wrong thing and scare you off”

James gave a low laugh at that, and Steve felt his blush returning with a vengeance. He was going to give Sam a really nice present after this. Maybe some flowers.

“Don’t worry. Very few things scare me”

Steve felt himself smiling, a real one this time, and he sipped his coffee before asking: “May I ask what those things are?”

“Moths” replied James without missing a beat, and then Steve was laughing loudly and grabbing his chest and it all went miraculously uphill from there.

 

Two hours later, Steve knew a lot more things about James, like his favorite color (pink), his favorite animal (chinchillas, they are so soft, you gotta pet one Steve), how he had lost his arm (bomb in the army, honorable discharge, whatever, it doesn’t hurt anymore) or what he liked to do in his spare time (paint little wooden figurines, it helps with the… with everything). He hoped the offer to cuddle was still open, because every minute he wanted more and more to roll James into a blanket burrito and squeeze him. And then make him take a nap. When they both finished their third cup of coffee, Steve decided to take his chance.

“So…” he resisted the urge to clear his throat again “I’ve got a documentary about penguins recorded at home that promises to be super cute and a bunch of popcorn and hot cocoa ready to be made. And a huge fluffy blanket. You uh… you up for it?”

James’ beautiful eyes opened really wide for a second and Steve stopped breathing altogether, but then they filled with surprised warmth.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I am”

 

“Honey, I’m home” sang Sam, closing the door behind him “How did it go?”

Steve smiled at the mop of brown hair peeking from under his blanket and squeezed James a little tighter against his chest. He was out like a light after an hour and a half of cooing over fat, clumsy penguins.

“Really well, Sam. I owe you”

“Damn right you owe me, Rogers, I’m the best roommate and the best fr…”  Sam’s voice cut off as he stopped dead on his tracks when he entered the living room and saw them cuddled in the sofa “What…? The hell, Rogers?”

“What? We’re decent, I promise” Steve frowned in confusion.

“No, I mean… who the fuck is that?”

Steve blinked, bewildered, and looked down at the mop of hair once more.

“…James?”

“My friends call me Bucky” mumbled a sleepy voice, and Steve had to smile despite his confusion. He was _so_ cute.

When he glanced at Sam, his friend was facepalming so hard he was probably leaving a permanent mark.

“Oh my God. Only you, Rogers, I swear”

“What is going on, Sam?”

“That is not James. Well, maybe his name is James, but he’s not _my_ James”

“Oh” Steve considered this and kept petting Bucky’s hair “Welp”

“Welp? That’s all you have to say? He isn’t even wearing a shirt like I said!”

“Yeah, but his sweater is red”

“I told you he was black!!”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess I forgot that part”

“You forgot?!”

“I was nervous, okay?!” Maybe he should be more concerned about the fact that he had approached a stranger and somehow convinced him to come to his house and cuddle, but Bucky was too wonderful, warm and cozy and funny and beautiful and cute and perfect. He was dozing off again, head pillowed on Steve’s chest, and he wanted to smooch him so bad. So he did, lightly, on his temple.

“Only you, Rogers” Repeated Sam “Only you go to a blind date and bring the wrong guy home” He shook his head and fished his phone out of his pocket as he headed towards the kitchen “I gotta call Rhodey”

Steve laid soft kisses on each of Bucky’s eyelids and settled down again, ready to join him on his nap. Sam was great, but he was wrong. Steve was absolutely sure he had brought the right guy home.

(And later it turned out that Rhodey had found a snarky genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist that flirted shamelessly with him upon discovering he was left alone at the coffee shop, hooked up with him, made him waffles in the morning, called him “Honey bear” and promptly promised to marry him, so it was all good, really)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this short little thing :) It isn't much, but I had lots of fun writing it! I just love social disaster Steve and confused Bucky, poor babies.
> 
> My tumblr: der-spatz


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